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The community of Newton Town Centre is asking questions about why nothing has been done to combat the area's crime.
Doug Elford, with the Newton Community Association, said Sunday night's violent attack on a woman outside the hockey arena crossed a line.
"Attacking a hockey mom in a parking lot for her purse? It's an indication there's some real problems in this neighbourhood. We're outraged; we want it to stop now... Our women are afraid to walk at night and that is a real concern of ours," Elford said Monday.
"I've said this before and I'll say it again: We need more police on the street. And a different methodology on policing possibly, where they're on their feet, they're on their bikes, the presence is there."
Elford said it's a difficult issue because police resources are lacking.
"We have crime, we have prostitution, we've had it for a long time. We've vented to council, it seems like they're not listening to us. We need them to listen to us."
The 53-year-old Surrey resident suffered serious injuries outside the Newton Arena, and as of press time on Monday afternoon, she was not expected to survive.
If confirmed as a homicide, this would be Surrey's 25th murder of 2013. The previous record was 21, set in 2005.
On Monday, IHIT took over the investigation and said the attack appeared to be unprovoked and random, with possible motive being robbery.
Jude Hannah, founder of ReNewton, a group fighting to revitalize the Newton Town Centre, said she felt sick to her stomach after learning about the incident.
"She was just going about her business and being a good parent. And as far as I know, it's a completely innocent and random attack... Our hearts and our thoughts go out to this woman and her family. It's just incredibly sad."
Hannah said this is what she's been trying to prevent through her activism for Newton.
"We have been calling on the city to take action and this is absolutely the worst nightmare. And I feel so upset, I feel so angry, I'm so disappointed... This was what we feared would happen, and we warned them," she said.
"I hate to say blood on their hands... but that's what people have said. This is just shameful."
She wants to hear from Mayor Dianne Watts on the matter.
"First of all, we need the mayor to address the situation and to get the focus off the city centre and trips to Israel (see page 4) and all of that," Hannah said Monday. "Her legacy wont be that gleaming city centre, but that she's just pushed Whalley down five miles into Newton. And that will be her legacy. And nobody wants to see that."
On Monday afternoon, Watts said she was praying for the woman and her family.
"She's still on life support. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family for sure. It's just so tragic."
Watts said the city has put additional security in place, and has increased RCMP patrols until the individual behind the attack is caught.
"We're going to focus on the investigative process right now... We're making sure that we get this individual off the street, and that's our focal point at this point in time," Watts said.
When asked about bigger picture plans to combat crime in Newton, Watts said that is a conversation for another day. "Right now, we're going out for assistance to the general public to get this individual off the street. Our focus is to ensure that, as quickly as possible, that he is apprehended."
After the news broke about the attack, police revealed there was an attack of similar nature on Dec. 16, in the same area.
Surrey RCMP continues to investigate the previous incident and although the motive appears similar these two occurrences have not definitively been linked.
"Going to the incident of Dec. 16, at the time, this was an isolated incident, with no pattern identified," said Surrey RCMP spokesperson, Cpl. Bert Paquet. "Often we will warn the public when we see a pattern with similar circumstances, or when there's detail relevant information to provide to the public. This was not the case at the time. But based on the circumstances of last night's crime, we are warning the public and asking them to take all steps necessary to ensure their safety."
Surrey RCMP issued a public warning on Monday and urged people with information to come forward.
Anyone who was in the area of the Newton Arena, Newton bus loop and the Newton Wave Pool between 7 and 11 p.m. Sunday is asked to call the IHIT tipline at 1-877-551-4448 or email ihittipline@rcmpgrc.gc.ca.
Diane MacDermott, one of the owners of the Beach Basket, located across the street from the Newton bus loop, recently told the Now that she may close her doors as a result of the area's crime.
"It's just an area that's depressed."
WOMAN A HOCKEY VOLUNTEER Harbs Bains, president of the Surrey Minor Hockey Association, confirmed the victim was picking up her son from the rink after he reffed the final tournament game of the day when she was attacked.
The woman volunteered with the association, as a timekeeper and with other duties.
"She was really the benchmark of the kind of volunteer anyone would want in an organization like this. She was very significant with helping the operations of (her son's) team," Bains said Monday.
"By all accounts, this is a random act of violence that has nothing to do with the sport, nothing to do with the tournament, it just happened outside of a hockey rink."
areid@thenownewspaper.com